Not for Kayla's family. And in a way, not for all of us, as her ordeal and that of her parents and loved ones became the concern of her extended 'family' in Arizona, her extended 'family' in the United States, her extended 'family' worldwide.

The 26-year-old went into a war zone as a healer, a peacemaker. Her great weapon -- our great weapon -- was her sense of justice and compassion. Her good heart. Her strength. Her love.

She was taken captive by ISIS, for whom those traits don't much matter, if they matter at all.

Still, she wrote in a letter to her parents, "I am not breaking down + I will not give in no matter how long it takes."

In a statement the White House said, "Kayla represents what is best about America, and expressed her deep pride in the freedoms that we Americans enjoy, and that so many others strive for around the world."

The world is a very big place and seemingly too much for a young woman from Prescott to take on. Kayla tried. Imagine that.

As we get older we worry about young people who are driven to extremes by their sense of purpose and their idealism. Do we see a bit of ourselves in them? Do we wish we had their sense of purpose? We know, from having been their age, that they don't know enough yet about the world and its complexities. We didn't know. We still don't know.

We'd like to convince them to slow down. To try to solve smaller problems. To pace themselves.

I'm not sure if advice like that comes from concern or envy. Maybe both. We can't help but be worried about them. But how can you not admire their sense of commitment? Their drive. Their fierce humanity. Of the wider world. The whole world.